Recently Embassy | This Generation has been shifting focus to put an even greater emphasis on evangelism and reaching out to the community. In light of this, Pastor Derek comes to us with a word about the importance of making God’s priority become our priority.
“Prior to the cross, the commission to Jesus’ disciples was to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons (Read Matt. 10:1, 5-8). After His death, the primary focus became the discipling of nations with signs and wonders “following”.
What is your highest priority? Is your priority Jesus’ priority? Or has your priority become going to church to experience yet another spiritual high? Is it fair to say that we sometimes make the gospel self-serving? We come to church and say, “God do something for me!” We have made it about us and, in that, have created a kind of selfish church culture. Jesus died on cross for more than just signs and wonders. He died to see souls saved.
Have you learned to rejoice over a soul saved?
Have you made the value of getting someone saved, giving their life to Christ, your value? Are you broken hearted for those who do not know Him? Are you able to see that you are heaven’s resource to reach them? God is looking for someone who will open his mouth to speak to them.
Even the disciples were tempted to believe signs and wonders and miracles were Jesus’ highest priority. They were full of joy that the demons were subject to them, but Jesus made a powerful statement about this. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” (Luke 10:17) He’s saying, “Casting out evil spirits is great! But My highest priority, and yours should be, too, is registration in heaven. Souls saved, delivered, snatched out of the hands of the devil and on their way to heaven.” Jesus is trying to share what God’s priority is.
In Matt. 28:18 – 20, we find the great commission or the great responsibility. This is the highest priority of God. Now Jesus has died and He has been raised from the dead.
Prior to the cross Jesus emphasized signs and wonders and guess what we are constantly just focusing on? Signs and wonders. He died for a reason. Why are we so busy following after signs and wonders that we have forgotten the highest priority of Jesus? His death and resurrection proved He was the Son of God and all things became subjected under his feet… sickness, disease, sting of death, etc.
When God made man He gave him authority in the earth to rule, to subdue everything on the earth. After man fell, sin separated them from God. They turned their authority over to the devil, for the devil to have his way. God operates in legalities. This meant Jesus had to come in flesh in order to regain the keys legally. Therefore, Jesus came in the flesh and He took back the keys from Satan. He legally owns the earth, but Jesus ascended—He went back to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He gave that authority to us, the church.
He is looking for caretakers who will go and take care of the earth. He is the landlord who bought the building and we are the caretakers of the building, He has left us in charge. And the enemy has done so much damage to the place that we have to clean and fix it up. Jesus cannot come here and die again. He delegated all His authority on heaven and earth to whom? Us. We are the caretakers. You are to take them, clean them and lead them to righteousness and God says, “I will reward you in eternity for it.”
There are a lot of good reasons to get sin out of your life, but one really good reason is because Jesus died to free you from it so that you could GO and tell others! You are His workers; His labourers. You are the one He sends to clean up what He paid for. And how did He pay for it? Blood. His life. He bought it.
Since when did you become too good to share the gospel? Since when did sharing the gospel with people become beneath you? It is not just the pastor’s job. It’s everybody’s job.
If we get real with God and actually deal with the stuff in our lives and have an encounter with the Lord; if we really draw close to Him, we will be more real with people.
Jesus did not just die for you to perform great wonders. He died and was raised from the dead for souls.
The great responsibility – Jesus’ highest priority!”
Derek Schneider gives vision and leadership direction to Embassy This Generation. Derek believes that the key to Young Adult ministry today is to give young adults a mission and mandate directed towards church reformation, and the transformation of society.
